Re: Hornets' dominance on boards sinks Green

[Kestutis.Kveraga@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Kestutis Kveraga)]

--- You wrote:
``It's a physical size problem,'' O'Brien said. ``They're bigger and
stronger than every one of our guys.'' - Obie (via Michael Gee)

What a crock. Ibm maybe a day late, but still feel this worth noting.

    HORNETS             CELTS
PF  Brown  (6-11 239)       Vin Baker  (6-11 250)

SF  Lynch  (6-8  235)       Eric Williams (6-8  220)

C   Magloire (6-11 259)     Mark Blount  (7-0  250)

PG  Davis  (6-3  223)       Mike James  (6-2 188)

SG  Wesley  (6-1  203)      Paul Pierce  (6-6  230)
--- end of quote ---

Well, he's right for the most part. Except for the Wesley-Pierce matchup, they
effectively ARE bigger and stronger. Listed height doesn't matter, especially
when it's obviously overstated, e.g. as in the case of EWill. Blount is listed
at 7-0, is probably around 6-11, and plays at 6-8, at best. Battie is not 100%
physically, and is a lightweight. Baker, for all his skill, sobriety and
hustle, is still pretty soft. Ewill is tough, but too small and physically
ordinary for real NBA-quality PF/C types. PJ, Lynch, and Magloire are a hardy
bunch. So are Wesley and Davis, despite being around 5-11 and 6-1. 

--- You wrote:
I am sick of each year's early hype and subsequent poster rantings 
followed always by the inevitable reality.  I am sick of the wishful 
thinkers each and every preseason taking to task national sports 
writers for being so bold as to think the Celts might not finish quite 
as high as Celt fans predict.
--- end of quote ---

The thing is, I would guess that the average error of the optimistic poster
(excluding the dreamer/joker variety that predict 60+ wins) on this list has
been much smaller than the average error of national scribes, when it comes to
predicting the Celtics' win total. While a lot of people on this list might be
wearing green-colored glasses, at least they know something about this team.
The average national columnist is clueless, and not just about the Celtics.
Remember the predictions about Orlando finishing first, the Celtics way behind
them, Milwaukee, Utah, Denver being the dregs of the league? Well, one look at
the standings should tell you how much these people understand about NBA
basketball. 

--- You wrote:
I am also sick of survivor Obie being 
considered some sort of modern-day Svengali able to squeeze lemonade 
from lemons, sick of fans beatifying impetuous Danny prior to even 
seeing how both his executive skills and trades/draft choices eventually 
pan out, and sick of our chintzy bottom-line owners who when you 
really think about it, make Gaston appear as some sort of benevolent 
Santa Claus for shelling out the dollars he did to Pitino, Walker, 
Pierce, etc.  
--- end of quote ---

You're sick of a lot of things, and that's understandable given your dislike of
all of these characters. However, Gaston shelled out money to the savior
Coach/President/GM and the veteran all star before the lux tax. As soon as
there was so much as a threat of that, he became Donald T. Sterling. Remember
the 12-man roster and Obie begging for the permission to add a warm body for
practices?

TBC later...
Kestas